


She Called Me Daniel

by basicbandgirl000



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: "i love you dads", AU, Angst ?, Child, College, Crying, Dad - Freeform, Fluff ?, Happy, Husbands, Jessica - Freeform, Love, M/M, Manchester, Phan - Freeform, Phandom - Freeform, Phil is a nerd, Sad, daniel cries a lot, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 03:14:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6836728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basicbandgirl000/pseuds/basicbandgirl000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where Dan gets emotional because their daughter calls him Daniel instead of Dad and Phil has to fix the situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	She Called Me Daniel

"Phil, can you please get off the couch and continue cleaning the kitchen?" Dan walked towards the television with a broom in his right hand and turned off the anime Phil was binge watching. "Jess is almost home and I don't want her walking into a pig sty!"

Phil sighed and sunk further into the couch. "Daniel, the house looks fine and it's only our daughter, not the Queen." He took out his phone and began scrolling through Twitter, ignoring Dan's request.

Jessica Howell-Lester was born on February 23, 2016 and was adopted into the Howell-Lester family on June 18, 2022, a week after Daniel Howell and Phil Lester got married. She had brunette hair that fell to her shoulders and bright green eyes that hid behind circular framed glasses.

On April 29, 2034, Jessica was accepted into Manchester University. She vowed to follow in her fathers’ footsteps and attend the school. Because of this, she hadn’t been home in a month.

"Phillip Michael Lester, you better get your butt up or I'm going to hit you with this broom." Dan said and glared at the man still occupying the couch.

Phil didn't move an inch... So Dan didn't hesitate to throw the broom across the room in his husband's direction.

"What the hell, Dan?!" Phil yelled and jumped up from his seat when the broom made contact with his chest, dropping his phone in the process.

Dan smirked and walked over to pick up the phone.

"Maybe next time you’ll listen to your dashing husband and continue cleaning before-" Dan's words trailed off as he examined Phil's phone. He grimaced. "Phil... I think I may have broken your phone. Badly"

Phil's phone was destroyed. When he had dropped it on the floor, it had instantly shattered. Damn iPhones.

Phil quickly snatched his cellular device from Dan's hand and moved across the room.

"I'm going to get it fixed." He said and slipped on a pair of black shoes. "Right now."

Dan rushed towards him at full speed. "No! You can't. Jessica is coming back home for the first time since she left for college. You need to be here for that! She's our child. It's so important."

Phil chuckled and shook his head. "Sweetheart, she's been gone for a month. She'll be alright if I'm not here for 10 minutes." Phillip kissed his husband's cheek. "I'll be back soon, don't miss me too much." He walked out the door laughing to himself.

"I love you!" Dan yelled.

Daniel continued to straighten up the house despite Phil's earlier protests. He knew what he was doing and he knew that Jessica would appreciate it. Jessica always appreciated what Dan did for her. He was almost certain that he was her favorite parent… But of course, he would never admit that out loud.

Ring ring

Not expecting the sudden noise of the doorbell, Dan jumped and a smile lit up on his face. Jessica was here. His baby girl was home.

Dan ran to the door in an instant and threw it open.

"Jessica, baby!" He whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. He took a step forward and embraced the young woman standing in front of him. "I've missed you so much. You look so grown up."

Seconds passed and Jessica hadn't said anything. Dan continued holding her in his arms.

"Daniel, could you please let go of me? I'm tired." She breathed out in a monotone voice.

Daniel.

Daniel.

Daniel.

Dan's only child just called him Daniel.

Dan jumped back speechless. Jessica walked by him and into the house.

"Is Phil here?" She asked.

"Phil? Phil- no he's out right now." Dan's voice cracked and he stood awkwardly taking in what just occurred. He was incredibly confused.

Jessica shrugged and walked down the hallway. "Alright. Well, I'll be in my room." She spoke quietly and slammed her door.

Dan could feel the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. It weighed him down in ways that he couldn’t believe as he made his way to the couch. He collapsed in a fit of confusion.

“Why did she call me Daniel?” Dan asked himself. “And did she call Phil… Phil?”

Before he realized what he was doing, Dan hunched over the couch and began crying. Tears swam down his face as though his eyes were clouds and the rain had finally escaped. He laid his head in his hands and bawled.

“You’re losing her.” He told himself. “You’re losing your only child and all you can do is cry about it. Real mature.

Jessica had come back for the first time since moving out and she was nowhere in sight. All Dan was left to do was talk to himself and mourn. He had worked so hard to try to make her feel welcome in the house. He had cleaned for hours. He had even bought her a welcome home cake. But Jessica had brushed him off as if he was nothing.

Daniel. She called him Daniel.

Dan shook with sobs. He couldn't contain his composure for even a second. He didn't want to lose Jessica. She was his baby. His light.

Dan's howls were interrupted by the door.

"Sorry I took so long. I saw an ice cream shop and just had to get some-" Phil walked in and paused when he saw Dan's state.

"Danny, honey, what's wrong?" He ran to Dan’s side and hugged him, causing Dan to sob harder. "Look at me." Phil moved Dan's head so that they were making eye contact.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"She called me Daniel." Dan frowned.

Phil looked confused.

"She called you Daniel?"

"Yes."

"And?"

Dan glared at Phil. "What do you mean ‘and?!’ She called me by my name and she called you Phil!"

Phil began to laugh.

"So you're telling me... You're crying because she called you Dan?" Phil's laughter grew.

"She didn't call me Dan. She called me Daniel!"

Tears leaked from Phil's eyes from how hard he was laughing.

"Oh no, not Daniel! Someone call the cops! Ha!"

Dan watched as Phil made fun of him and burst out in tears once again.

"Don't- make fun- of me-" he bawled and curled up in a ball on the couch. His head lay between his knees and he roared with sobs.

Phil's laughter immediately died down and he stared at Dan with worry in his eyes.

"Is this a big deal to you?" Phil asked.

Dan nodded his head slowly and Phil stood up from the couch.

"Alright I'll be right back."

Dan didn't reply.

Phil looked at his husband and frowned. He walked down the hallway to Jessica’s room and upon arrival, knocked three times.

“Jessie? Are you in there, sweetie?” He called and heard shuffling from behind her door.

Jessica poked her head out and smiled.

"Hi Phil. Come on in." She said and walked away from the entrance. Phil stepped into the room and looked at her, confusion clearly written on his face.

"How are you doing, buddy?" He asked her in a light voice.

Jessica’s eyes found the ground and she gulped. Phil stared at her waiting for an answer until she looked up and grinned brightly. "I'm doing great! College is fun, but there’s a lot of work.”

She sat down in her bed and surrounded herself with blankets.

Phil dragged the seat from Jessica's desk toward the bed and sat down.

“How about you, Phil? How are things at the BBC? I’ve heard that-” Jessica began speaking, but was cut off by Phil.

"Jessica, we need to talk."

Her eyes widened. "What did I do? I just got here." She complained.

Silence filled the room and Jessica avoided making eye contact with Phil.

"Jess, why did you call your father Daniel? It really hurt his feelings."

Jessica's smile dropped. "It did?" She looked hurt. "I didn't mean to upset him, Phil- dad. I really didn't."

Phil stopped her before she could continue talking.

"Why did you just call me Phil?"

She looked down but remained silent.

"Answer my question, Jess."

When Jessica finally lifted her head, her eyes were glassy and a tear slipped down her face.

"Oh great, now we have another one crying." Phil thought to himself.

“Dad, I’m sorry.” She whispered to herself and looked into Phil’s blue eyes. “I really didn’t mean to make him upset… It’s just that, I-I’ve missed you both so much.” Tears began falling rapidly from her eyes. “I didn't want to make it obvious because I wanted you both to think that I’ve made it far." 

Phil put his hands out and grabbed Jessica’s. His mouth turned up on one side. “Sweetie, we do think that you’ve made it far. I mean, God, look at you. You’re going to Manchester! We’re very proud of you.”

She shook her head. “But I upset him. Damn- I mean, dang it.” Phil chuckled silently.

“Honey, I have a question. Why would calling us by our names make us think that you’ve made it far in life?”

She sniffled. “I thought it would make me look more mature.” She paused. “Plus, I saw it on television.”

Phil smiled. His little girl didn't mean any harm. She just wanted to look good to her parents.

"Come here, Darling." Phil pulled his daughter into his chest as she cried. “We love you so much Jessie.”

Jessica took a step back from Phil. “So I guess I should go apologise to Dad?” She asked.

Phil nodded and an idea sprang to his mind. He motioned behind him and Jessica immediately got the memo. She jumped on her Dad’s back and he ran out of the room bringing Jessica with him. It felt as though Jessica was 10 and they were playing an airplane game again. It made Phil feel happy.

When the two arrived in the lounge, Dan was still crying. He held the bottom of his shirt in his hands and was wiping his eyes. Dan turned to where Phil entered with Jessica on his back and when he saw the sight, he began crying again.

Jessica had tears rolling down her face and she jumped off Phil’s back to engulf Dan in a hug.

"I'm sorry, dad!" She yelled into Dan's arms. “I’m so, so sorry. I love you so much.” Dan’s grip on her tightened and he sobbed in unison with his daughter.

“It’s okay, love.”

They wept in each other's embrace and the sight made Phil's heart melt. Suddenly he too burst out in a sob.

"Ah, scoot over you giant nerds." Phil rushed to create a group hug.

Their family was happy. Their family was healthy. Their family was perfect. And their family was together.

"Wow, I didn't expect Jessica's arrival to be so... Watery?" Dan choked out.

“I love you Dads.” Jessica mumbled in her fathers’ chests.

“I love you too, Sweetie.” Dan chuckled.

“And I love both of you.” Phil smiled and kissed the tops of both Dan and Jessica’s heads.


End file.
